Importance of Competitive Bodybuilding

August 19, 2018

If you enjoy competitive sports and are going to be putting a lot of time, effort, and money into building up your body, you may decide to show off your physique by participating in a bodybuilding competition. These bodybuilding contests are held in various places all around the world and showcase some of the most physically fit bodies in the world. There are different levels of competition, so don’t worry if you aren’t Mr. Universe quite yet. You can still find a competition that is right for you. If you’re going to get into a competitive bodybuilding contest, please be aware it will require dedication to your training, including a healthy diet and lots of exercises.

The first thing you should do, if you decide to begin competitive bodybuilding, is to find a trainer. It will be much easier to break into the competitive bodybuilding world, if you have someone with a little experience under his or her belt, to help you.

Your trainer will help you decide on a training schedule and diet plan, and also help you decide whether or not you want to take supplements. Natural training is, of course, always the best way to go, however, you may want to take vitamins or other supplements to make sure your body is getting the proper nutrients it needs, even if you cut bad foods out of your diet.

The next step will be to research some of the events that may be held near you. Local events are a good place to start if you live in a big city. If you don’t live in a big city, you may have to travel some distance to find competitive bodybuilding events, so you’ll need to make plans accordingly. The fees and “rules of conduct” for these events can vary, so be sure to do your homework ahead of time.

Normally, you will have an orientation session the day or morning before the event, but you need to be well prepared before this, so you don’t look like a novice in front of the judges. Prior to the competition, you should not only train, but also learn how to flex while you pose, yet still look relaxed. In order to look your best, you may want to get a tan, remove body hair, and take other measures to help your body look as lean and sculpted as possible. If your trainer has participated in competitive bodybuilding, they should be able to give you advice and pointers in these areas.

After the competition, it helps to evaluate your performance, good or bad, so you can learn from your mistakes, as no one is perfect. By learning from your past mistakes, you can perform better in future competitive bodybuilding events. You’ll want to stay focused on the staging area and observe what the other competitors are doing that you can apply to your own performance. Once the winners have been announced, and the applause has stopped, head over to the judges’ table. These judges are the experts, and they can give you a quick verbal assessment of your body, as well as some very good advice for your next competition. Don’t take offense at anything negative they may tell you. Be humble, and listen to everything they have to say, both the good and bad. Before you know it, you’ll be the one in the winner’s circle, and it will be your turn to give advice to the new competitive bodybuilders in your area.

For some bodybuilding competitions, such as the Arnold Classic or Mr. Olympia, a competitor is only allowed to enter once he has won a qualifying amateur competition. To be qualified as a professional you may also be required to join the membership of a professional bodybuilding organization such as the IFBB.

Many natural bodybuilding organizations such as the NPA (Natural Physique Association) and NANBF (North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation) also have professional ranks.